The present invention relates generally to infant seats (which are also called infant carriers), and more particularly to an infant seat which provides a cushioned carry for the user.
Conventional infant seats include an infant seat having a rigid shell and a rigid handle having two arms attached to the sides of the shell. The shell defines a cavity for receiving an infant. It is known to carry an infant in the infant seat by placing the crook (i.e., the inside bend) of the elbow of the user around the closest arm of the handle to carry the infant seat along the side of the body.
In one known infant seat, a single-arm handle has a cuff, and the tray (i.e., the shell) has a hand grip which is a contoured opening in the side of the shell. The user carrying the infant in the infant seat places his or her forearm through the cuff and then grabs the hand grip to carry the infant seat on the side of the hip. An integral, contoured hip pad is provided on each sidewall of the carrier for an additional weight bearing surface to reduce the stress of the weight of the shell to the arm of the user.
In another known infant seat having a shell and a rigid handle having arms attached to the sides of the shell, a flexible shoulder strap is added having ends attached to the front and back of the shell. A cushioning hip pad is added to the infant seat. The hip pad has openings to receive connecting ends of support straps and is recessed to fit over the socket (i.e., the hub) of the arm of the handle, and the hip pad may have an additional connecting strap to secure the hip pad to the handle. The outer exposed surface of the hip pad is concave to conform to the hip region of the user since the infant seat will ride against the hip when suspended from the shoulder by the shoulder strap.
What is needed is an infant seat providing a more convenient cushioned carry for the user.
A first expression of a preferred embodiment of the invention is for an infant seat including an infant-seat shell, a handle, and a first cushion pad. The infant-seat shell includes first and second sidewalls. The handle includes a first arm attached to the first sidewall, a second arm attached to the second sidewall, and a hand-grip located between, and attached to, the first and second arms. The first arm has a first inwardly-facing surface, and the second arm has a second inwardly-facing surface. The first cushion pad is attached (and preferably permanently attached) to the first arm and defines a portion of the first inwardly-facing surface. Preferably, the first cushion pad is located to contact a crook of an elbow of a user who is carrying the infant seat by supporting the first arm of the handle in the crook of the elbow. It is also preferred that the infant seat also include a second cushion pad which is attached (and preferably permanently attached) to the second arm and which defines a portion of the second inwardly-facing surface of the second arm.
A second expression of a preferred embodiment of the invention is for an infant seat including an infant-seat shell, a handle, and a third cushion pad. The infant-seat shell includes a first sidewall having a first outwardly-facing surface and includes a second sidewall having a second outwardly-facing surface. The handle includes a first arm attached to the first sidewall, a second arm attached to the second sidewall, and a hand-grip located between, and attached to, the first and second arms. The first arm has a first outwardly-facing surface portion which faces away from the second arm, and the second arm has a second outwardly-facing surface portion which faces away from the first arm. The third cushion pad is attached (and preferably permanently attached) to one of the first sidewall and the first arm and defines a portion of a corresponding one of the first outwardly-facing surface of the first sidewall and the first outwardly-facing surface portion of the first arm. Preferably, the third cushion pad is located to contact a hip of an average-sized adult user who is carrying the infant seat by supporting the first arm of the handle in a crook of an elbow. It is also preferred that the infant seat also include a fourth cushion pad which is attached (and preferably permanently attached) to one of the second sidewall and the second arm and which defines a portion of a corresponding one of the second outwardly-facing surface of the second sidewall and the second outwardly-facing surface portion of the second arm.
A third expression of a preferred embodiment of the invention is for an infant seat. The third expression combines the elements of the previously described first and second expressions.
Several benefits and advantages are derived from the invention. The hand grip of the two-armed handle allows a user to conveniently grasp and carry the infant seat for short distances. For longer distances, the two arms of the handle allow a right or left arm one-hand carry of the cushion seat by having the user place his or her forearm around one of the arms of the handle to primarily support the infant seat from the crook (i.e., the inside bend) of the elbow of the user and to secondarily support the infant seat from and/or against the hip of the user. The first (and second) cushion pad provides comfort for the crook of the elbow of the user, and the third (and fourth) cushion pad provides comfort for the hip of the user.